Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-03

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that his most intimate friend could not
have known him or detected him on
sight. he had slouch-hat drawn down
over his eyes, long, loose coat extend
ing from his chin to his heels, and his
whole face except the eyes covered by a
white cloth. The Senator from Texas
does not deny that. do not suppose he
is instructed about 1t.
Mr.. Coke-The Senator will allow me
to interrupt him. 1 Go deny that, and say
that there is not one single word of truth
in it.
Mr.. Hoar-On what authority does the
Senator deny it? He was not present.
Mr.. Coke-I deny it on the authority of
gentlemen who were in Washington
county, and who have talked with me,
and upon the authority of the newspaper
statements of the occurrence at the time.
Mr.. Hoar-The communications that
have been read do not deny it at any
rate, and the Senator did not deny it in his
original speech.
1t is said that the man lay so clothed
for hours. But suppose the Senator does
deny il, here are these conflicting asser-
tiOns, and it would seem that the side of
the question which is most confident of
its own Integrity and correctness would
be the one that would desire an lnVesti-
CATION, ard not the other. 1t would seem
if the persocS who are the informants OF
my honorable friend were quite confident
that they We're right. that they would be
the persons most eager to have the mat
ter investigated and the truth settled, and
this charge, which we all hope will prove
untrue, rejected.
Now these men, the Senator says, have
not sworn to their petition. Letters
were sent to the chairman CT the commit
tee by each of these two other petitioners,
stating their desire that Mr.. Hackworth
should sign their names, and stating that
they hoped a delay which would re-
quire the sending OF the original petition
to them and returning it would not take
place. They were eager and anxious for
the investigation. l have the letters be-
fore me now.
The Senator says that the statement is
not under oath. The constitution of the
United States, which secures to every citi-
zen the right of petition, does not require
that petitions from citizens of the United
States should be under oath, and it is not
the fashion or habit or precedent of the
Senate to require it.
Mr. President, do not want to 90 into
this question in advance of the testimony.
do not think the Senate should take the
role of Rhadamanthus either in dealing
with these petitioners or with these par
ties accused, first to adjudge and after
wards TO hear, iudicatque damnatque.
think the process OF hearing testimony
should preCede the adjudication and con-
demnatioD.
But the Senator says that this is mat
ter which wholly belongs to the state.
These petitioners allege thst these trans
actions took place al national election,
and that there is no. Republican govern
ment at this moment in that county.
The Senator says that they fed from
their own fears. The petitioners say that
they were conducted by a large number
of white Democrats to the cars and to
the border of the county, threatened with
murder, threatened to share the fate of
the three men who had been hung if they
returned, epd that as one of them left the
county there was a stone thrown after
him as the cars departed that bore him
away. and q. pistol shot also.
do not wish to excite the Senate or
the country, or to get excited myself over
this matter, especially before the evidence
is heard. 1t seems to me that IF the
information of my honorable friend from
Texas shall turn out to be correct, every
member of the Senate will be delighted
and gratified at the result; but certainly
it is matter which 1t behooves the Sem
ate of the United States to look into.
Yesterday some Senators spoke of war
in regard to foreign power whose worst
outrage was Selling fishing vessels with
out any indignity or affront to the indi-
viduals they contained, and prohibiting
them in one case to buy rations, so that
the crew went with short rstions for three
days. Is the right of an American citizen
any the less sacred in the eye of an Amer
lean Congress wffsn he happens to be on
American soil? Is the right of an adopt
ed German citizen thirty years resident
here, the editor of Republican paper,
whose columns can be produced and will
show whether he is or not, as the Senator
from Texas conceives, stirrerup or in
otter Of one race against anouner-is the
right CT that man any the less sacred than
that of a Massachusetts fisherman?
Mr.. Coke-I will state for the Senator's
that two-thirds Of the white
people living in Washington county are
Germans.
Mr.. Hcar-So | understand.
Mr.. Coke-And this is the only one who
has found it necessary to run away
from it.
Mr.. Hoar-And that is the complaint,
that while majority of the white citizens
Of that county are Republicans, ma jority
Of the property owners are Republicans,
shese men, who are the leaders of the
are compelled by Dem
1cratic mobs to leave the county
That county does not happen to be sitrr-
lted on an island in the sea by itself. Il
s situated in the midst of the Democratic
state OF Texas with it's 10000 or 100, 900
majority. The state troops of Texas are
1t the command of the dominant party
here. That is the allegation which these
men make. Whether true or not true [ |
10 not now undertake to say. It is for
hat reason. they desire the authority of |
he Senate of the United States to ascer-
ain the facts.
Senator Hoar was followed by Senator |
Democrat, of Delaware, who |
opposed the adoption of the resolution in
short, decisive speech which we give in
ull He said:
Mr.. President, l stated yesterday, when
his report was made from q committee
# which l am member, that it was made
Without my approval and against my pro-